A selection of new and/or relevant pop tracks from August 2026 that have recently impressed us. For the full playlist, click here.
Our new music September 2026 picks bring together five releases that have caught our attention recently. From reflective songwriting and polished pop to electronic melancholy and unapologetically playful funk, this edition of CM Selects features Keesha Blair, Frank Joshua, Don Cicci, Krey Galin and CAPYAC.
Keesha Blair – “The Inheritance”
Keesha Blair’s “The Inheritance” looks at what we leave behind beyond money or possessions. Originally inspired by Blair’s mother and grandmother, the song expands that idea to love, wisdom, compassion and the values passed between generations. Its soulful, gospel-rooted arrangement and layered harmonies give the message an appropriately uplifting frame. One unusual detail is that Blair openly credits the vocals as AI-generated, while the songwriting and musical direction remain hers. Whatever listeners make of that creative choice, the sentiment behind “The Inheritance” is sincere and easy to connect with: everybody inherits something, and everybody eventually leaves something behind.
Frank Joshua – “Almost”
Frank Joshua turns the frustration of nearly having something into a surprisingly propulsive listen on “Almost.” Produced, mixed and mastered by longtime collaborator Tony White, the track pairs an insistent electronic pulse with Joshua’s familiar melancholy, moving somewhere between electronic pop, dream pop and trip-hop. The repeated “almost” neatly captures that uncomfortable territory where something came close enough to feel possible but never quite materialised. There is emotional weight here, but the production keeps it from becoming heavy. Joshua manages to make disappointment feel strangely warm and rhythmic, giving “Almost” a nice tension between what the lyrics are feeling and what the music is doing.
Don Cicci – “Polpette”
“Polpette” opens Don Cicci’s four-track EP of the same name, followed by “aqua tonic,” “Vice cop” and “Solitude.” The title track runs for around four and a half minutes, making it the kind of piece that has room to settle rather than rush toward a quick payoff. There is a laid-back quality to “Polpette” that suits the wider EP, with the track leaning on its groove and atmosphere instead of squeezing itself into a conventional pop structure. It is an understated listen, and that is part of its appeal. Don Cicci lets the music breathe, making “Polpette” feel relaxed, unforced and pleasantly left of centre.
Krey Galin – “My Plan”
Krey Galin’s My Plan is a project that took the long road to release. The Brazilian artist built the seven-track EP from material that had been sitting with him for years, yet continued to catch people’s attention whenever it was played in the studio. Instead of leaving those songs behind, Galin allowed them to evolve with him. The result is a compact 19-minute project with a distinctly international outlook, including different-language versions alongside the original “My Plan” and a remix. There is something refreshing about music arriving on its own timeline. Here, patience feels less like a delay and more like part of the creative process.
CAPYAC – “Big CrUsh En3rgY”
CAPYAC are in full flirtation mode on “Big CrUsh En3rgY,” a gloriously unserious title attached to some seriously tight funk. Built between Berlin and Los Angeles, the track draws on touring, friendships, found family and those temporary crushes that arrive somewhere along the way. Funk guitar leads into syncopated drums, keyboards and synth bass, while all three members get vocal moments across the track. There is indie electronic production underneath it all, but the groove stays firmly in charge. It is playful, slightly chaotic and flirtatious without trying too hard—the kind of song that sounds like CAPYAC had as much fun making it as you do listening.
